Redemption
by Author of Lies
Summary: Another look at Kotonoha Katsura's life, told by her closest and only friend. Deviates from the main plot, possible Kotonoha x OC.
1. And so it begins

_Hello internet. The Author here, with my very first published work._

_Let me give you some background, though. I've recently encountered the School Days franchise - first the manga, then the anime. The manga wasn't so bad, Makoto was at least semi-normal there. It was the anime that got me up in my seat and screaming the worst profanity I knew at the screen. But, somewhere along the line, I got the urge to write a little something for this fanverse. And it would expand on a character who, in my opinion, was handed the short end of the stick: Kotonoha Katsura._

_Now, there's already enough OC insert (or self insert) stories running around here, and some of them are pretty damn good. As in so damn good that I can't compete. This fic is pretty close to that genre, it's nothing new._

_But I'll let you guys decide whether you like or not, or if it's even worth reading._

_Here goes nothing._

_Edit 11/18/11 - Okay, sorry guys, I know it's been more than a month. BUT...I do intend to finish this story, so don't give up on me yet._

_Which brings me to the next point. Looking over what I've written, I realized that this story was going in a direction I hadn't intended it to. I'm rewriting and reposting a bunch of stuff here and there, and changing the general feel of the story. For those who are sticking around, I hope these changes don't make you run screaming into the night. That's all for now, enjoy the story._

* * *

><p><em>Having a friend is a blessing people almost always take for granted. Whether it's just being friendly with the family across the street, talking about the latest movies with your college roommate, or having a heart to heart conversation with your best friend, the relationships we have with our friends are unique. No other person in the world will know your friend in the way you do. And of course, friendships can be developed: the old woman that walks her dog every morning near your house may turn out to be your lifelong mentor...the geek in your chemistry class may be the guy you hang out during work...and the girl you see laughing with her friends may turn out to be your wife.<em>

_So what happens you meet the one person that can turn your life around? Will you see that person for who they are? Will you try your utmost to keep him or her in your life?_

_Will you capture the moment? Or will you just let it slip away?_

-xXx-

It was the first day of the 2nd semester at Sakakino Academy, and class 1-4 was settling down for their first period. Students laughed and talked about school, their social lives, or their favorite shows and animes. It was just another routine day. But even normal days have their unique moments, and in this case, it was the presence of a new student.

Most of the classroom was already talking about him in hushed tones. People would try to steal a subtle glance at him, while others just openly stared. However, the new student was totally oblivious to the attention directed at him.

Having your Ipod in and listening to a horror audiobook might do that to you.

Then the first period teacher entered, and everyone quieted down. He did the usual welcome in a dry monotone, then looked directly at the new student.

"Well class, you may have noticed that we have someone new joining us. This is Takagashi Milo, will you please stand, Takagashi-san?"

Suddenly noticing the teacher's attention - as well as the entire class staring at him - Takagashi quietly swore, pulled the earbuds from his ears, and stood. All of class 1-4's 38 students strained to get a good look at him.

Short black hair. Clear hazel eyes. Average Asian facial structure and looks, though his features spoke of more than Japanese heritage - Korean, Filipino, European...no one was quite sure. He stood about 5'4, or 163 cm. Other than his eyes, he wasn't particularly attractive. While everyone continued gathering their first impressions of him, Takagashi stared expectantly ahead, and waited for the teacher to finish displaying him like a prized turkey.

"Takagashi-san transferred over from America, and he speaks fluent Japanese. Would you like to say a few words to your classmates?"

Takagashi winced, but kept standing, and stated in somewhat accented Japanese, "Hello everyone, I'm Takagashi Milo. As Nakagawa-sensei has said, I do speak Japanese as well as English, and I look forward to meeting everyone." He didn't have anything more to say, so he sat down, and reluctantly put his Ipod away.

The teacher smiled. "I'm sure you'll get along just fine. Now, class, you should have your books by now, so please turn to page 20..."

16 year old Katsura Kotonoha stared at the new boy in the class as he stood up. He was a transfer student from America? Interesting. Maybe if she got to know him, she could practice her English with him...

But she already knew that would never happen.

Why, you ask?

Because through a series of unfortunate events, Kotonoha happened to be a loner.

First of all, everyone knew that she was from a wealthy family, and since everyone else was middle class, they tended to keep their distance.

Second, Kotonoha was extremely cute, and that was further augmented by a well-endowed body. Maybe once, she could have considered that a good thing, but instead, her looks brought her a lot of attention. The boys in her class were especially attracted to her - Kotonoha would occasionally hear her name come up in their conversations, and she always felt like she was being stared at. But she was also aware that most of them -if not all - liked her only for her body. Many times, Kotonoha had looked up to find a boy staring at her chest. Yet, for all the attention they gave her, the boys in her class never even tried to talk to her, and when they did, it wasn't for long. She didn't know why - Kotonoha was smart, but sometimes, she had no idea what went through boys' minds.

The girls in Kotonoha's class were a very different story. Since first semester, they began distancing themselves from her, and whenever she tried talking to them, they found an excuse to end the conversation. Even the girls that had once been friendly to her eventually broke any ties they had with her. Worst of all, Kotonoha was often mistreated by a group of girls that had taken a dislike to her. She guessed all of this was because of the attention the boys gave her - but since Kotonoha had been brought up to be humble and polite, she had meekly accepted her fate, and withstood her situation the best she could.

So, Kotonoha had no friends, no one to talk to, no one she hung out with. And when she felt brave enough to try to be more outgoing and talk to people (which wasn't often), her attempts were fruitless. Eventually, she just gave up, and accepted that things were going to be the way they were. And so far, second semester was turning out to be the same.

Kotonoha shook herself out of her thoughts. She didn't know what came over her; she wasn't supposed to let her emotions affect her so much. The teacher was already progressing onto another chapter, and self-pity wouldn't help her grades. She took a deep breath, resigned herself to fate, and started reading along with the teacher.

_"Oiwa combs her hair and sees before her a pile of hair that has fallen out."_

_...What!_

__-xXx-

My name is Milo Takagashi. Yes, I know, Milo - don't ask me how I got that unique name, blame my dad. I'm Japanese, Filipino, and Caucasian...my father is Japanese, and my mom was a half breed to a club dancer in Manila and an US Navy officer. We've lived in Seattle for most our lives, so I usually speak English, but my dad made sure I knew Japanese as a second language. My mom didn't really take the time to teach me Tagalog, so all I know is the word "cat." Anyway, I can say confidently that I'm fluent in English and Japanese. (However, my grandmother says that my Japanese has an American and Filipino accent. Strange.)

Why am I in Japan? I mean, the country was still in the aftermath of that earthquake that happened in March, as well as the current nuclear meltdown situation - some people might have considered living here an unwelcome prospect. Yet, here I am...mostly because of a...situation at home that motivated me to live elsewhere. No, not domestic problems - more like my family's...financial and legal status.

We lost our house. Need I say more?

So now, I'm here in Japan with my 13 year old brother, while my parents are trying to sort through the mess of legal paperwork and bank documents in Manila and Seattle. My brother and I are staying with my grandparents indefinitely, and I may end up finishing high school here. It's all a huge change, and I've left many friends behind...and I really don't know what the future will hold.

High school here is different, to say the least. First off, the uniforms. I used to hate any and all school uniforms, but it looks like I'm stuck with this one. Actually, Sakakino's uniform doesn't look too bad, even though it's close to a full blown suit. But if the weather gets any hotter, wearing this thing will be intolerable...

While I speak the language, it's going to take me a while to get used to the school system and teaching methods here...not to mention making friends, and developing a normal social life. That'll be harder in a school of three or four thousand kids - quite unlike my old high school, which had about five hundred students. And compared with my high school back home, Sakakino is a freaking resort. There's several school buildings up to five stories tall, two track/multipurpose fields, several gyms, a pool, a huge cafeteria chamber...the list goes on. The classrooms aren't bad, either - right now, I'm two seats away from the windows, and I have a very nice view of the surrounding area. Needless to say, Sakakino Academy is very well-funded. Lucky bastards.

My class seems okay, and they're pretty much average. I don't have much to say about the guys, they seem cool enough. The girls are average as well, except for a few attractive ones here and there...like this girl with long hair that sits in my row. She's the class president, she was part of the "welcoming committee" that introduced themselves to me and showed me around a little bit, though she didn't say much. I think she's called Katsura, and she's pretty cute. I'll find out more about her when I have the time.

The cafeteria was okay, I ate lunch there, and that looks like where I'll be eating lunch from now on. Alone.

It's to be expected, I guess - it's only the first day, anyway. Everyone around me has been graciously polite, greeting me whenever they see me, all that stuff. I've introduced myself to a number of people, and a few have approached me and introduced themselves as well...yet none of them have made the effort to hang out with me.

I don't know if it's the new guy thing, or if it's cultural. Looks like I'll have to be the one to initiate contact. But, I wasn't a very social guy at home, and honestly...I don't feel like taking the time to meet anyone yet - maybe after a week.

The period's end interrupted my zoning out. That was the last period of the day, so now I'm headed home via the train. I guess this wasn't bad for a first day - no homework, the school looks decent, and I'm slowly getting used to this place. My social life still needs work, but that can wait. Time for me to see if anyone in Japan plays Bad Company 2...

...Aaand right outside the door is a massive mob of students eager to get home.

Some things in high school never change.

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><p><em>Tell me what you think about the revamped story, if you like it or not...the big changes will come in the later chapters, which I plan to post later this week.<em>

_-AoL_


	2. The Catalyst

Two weeks of school, done.

And guess what, things haven't changed. I'm still stuck in the stereotypical new guy situation, no friends and all that. I guess it doesn't really matter, I'm self-sufficient enough to survive without friends.

...right?

Eh. Life is life, I'm just going with the flow right now.

I also mean that literally, the crowds at my local train station can get kind of pushy, and I was stuck right in the middle of a big one. I hissed a pained curse as a middle-aged woman accidentally kicked me in the shin. At least she apologized.

Anyway, the Japanese (yes, I know, I speak like I'm not one of them) keep to themselves - they've made that quite obvious - and technically, I'm a foreigner, even though I know how to speak the language. By default, I'm not someone they would want to talk to right away.

Oh, by the way, I know that several people from my school take the train as well, but I don't know all of them, and I usually I sit apart from them anyway.

When my train arrived, I boarded, while school and several other things ran through my mind, like the Fukushima meltdown. That was several hundred miles to the north, but I was still a bit worried about radiation fallout. While the authorities claimed that emissions were minimal, I couldn't help but feel paranoid about the effects. However, a feminine voice interrupted my train of thought.

"Wait! Wait for me!"

I turned around, and saw a girl in Sakakino's school uniform making a last dash for the door. Looking closely, I realized it was Katsura Kotonoha. Americanized, that's Kotonoha Katsura, you know, the last name is first, and all that...er...never mind.

Katsura is our class president, and she's usually quiet, and keeps to herself. For the past two weeks, I've usually seen her with a book in hand. I've talked to her once or twice, as part of her class president duties, and she seems polite and nice enough...but other than those few times, we haven't really talked. She's a cute girl, though, maybe one of the cutest girls I've ever seen. Hands down. No argument. A cute face, long dark hair that goes down to her waist, and large brown eyes (which makes me think she isn't entirely Japanese).

What, I'm forgetting something?

...Oh.

Yeah.

Kotonoha has the biggest chest out of all the girls in the class.

They're probably...a B cup, I guess, maybe the large side of B. As you may know, Japanese women usually don't have large busts, so Kotonoha is uniquely well endowed...and I think she's bigger than most of the American girls I know. Along with her eyes, it contributes to my theory that she isn't entirely Japanese. And even though Kotonoha is a little taller than the usual Japanese girl, and slender as well, the proportion is still enough to make her breasts a...a very noticeable part of her anatomy.

...YEAH, I KNOW I JUST GAVE AN ENTIRE MONOLOGUE ABOUT HER TITS. WHAT DID YOU EXPECT. I'M MALE, AFTER ALL, AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM.

*deep breath*

Besides, that's not I cared about when I first saw her, don't make your judgments too soon. And even if she didn't have those, the fact remains that she was one of the cutest girls I have ever seen.

Damn, I'm off track...anyway, back to the train station.

So, once I saw her coming, I held my hand between the motion sensor to buy her enough time. Finally, Katsura made it on board, then as she entered, she politely thanked me.

"Arrigato, Takagashi-san."

I smiled, and nodded. "No problem, Katsura-san." _Yeah. I just introduced my "Americanisms" into the Japanese language and slaughtered a hundred years of proper etiquette._

She gave a shy smile in return, then turned to walk to her seat. My eyes followed her as she gracefully sat down, and I think I had a small smile on my face.

_You have done a good deed! Quest complete! 250 experience and over 9000 gold coins for you!_ Ha...

_Wait - DAMN IT, I'M STILL STARING._

I pried my eyes from her face (no, not her body, please give me some credit, will ya?) before she saw me staring, and turned to the scenery as the train began picking up speed.

You're probably suspicious enough by now, so I'll lay it out for you. How should I put this...Kotonoha interests me. I don't know any other way to put it. Attraction? Perhaps, probably. She does have the looks, and she's strikingly cute, if not outright beautiful. What guy wouldn't be attracted to her...Am I in love? No. Love at first sight...pshhhhh. You have to know someone to be in love with them.

The way I can describe it is...it's like, while Kotonoha is pretty much the trademark quiet, solitary, and studious girl, I get the feeling that there's a story behind her life, that there's something more to her. And if no one else is going to talk to her, if no one else wants to be her friend, I might as well go ahead and try and get to know this girl, if nothing else. (Seriously, all the guys stare at her, why the heck don't they talk to her?) But I'm a shy person too, and I'm hesitant to step out of my comfort zone and make myself vulnerable...

I looked back at Kotonoha. Currently she was reading what looked like a novel, several hundred pages at least. She looked totally at peace.

I sighed again, and lay back. No, I was in no hurry to complicate life for the both of us. Maybe, sometime in the future, I would dare to disturb the universe, both mine and hers...but for now, I was content to let things go on the way they were.

-xXx-

Kotonoha pondered on the encounter with Takagashi for a while. He really did seem like a nice guy, though he was a foreigner. But she was wary of all boys, and Takagashi was no exception.

Still, as she got off the train, she couldn't help scanning the crowd of students on the way to Sakakino, looking for him. And there Takagashi was, far ahead, walking by himself, and listening to his Ipod.

_For the past two weeks, he's been by himself. I wonder if he's feeling lonely._

_If he is, then he'll know how I feel every day..._

Kotonoha gasped at that thought, and pushed it from her mind. She had been taught to keep her real feelings hidden, and to dedicate herself to the task at hand - whether it was being hostess to her father's guests, playing the part of the ideal daughter, or schoolwork. Her parents expected nothing less. Besides, Kotonoha was no stranger to loneliness.

At least she had an English copy of Stephanie Meyer's _The Host_ to keep her company. A good book, and the time to read it - that was all she needed to be happy.

And there were was one more thing, too...Kotonoha knew that a boy from another class liked her. From what she knew of him, he was a nice guy, always helping his friends, and lately, she had been feeling his gaze on her as they rode the train. Maybe he wasn't like the other boys, maybe he truly was a nice person. If only he would talk to her...then her life would be a little happier.

Kotonoha took a deep breath of the morning air, and let a relaxed smile appear on her face. Her life was imperfect, but for the moment, she was content with it.

-xXx-

And a ways behind Kotonoha, Makoto Itou followed. He was slightly flustered that the foreigner, Takagashi, had opened the door for Katsura-san, yet he was relieved - Makoto didn't have enough courage to interact with her yet. He glanced at his phone, smiling at his wallpaper of Katsura-san. That one picture would be enough to make his day, and there was always the chance that the cell phone charm would work...and Katsura-san would become his girlfriend.

He doubted that would ever happen, of course...but for Makoto, to watch from afar, to behold beauty from a distance...it was enough. And for the moment, he was content.

-xXx-

The principle in the Japanese school system is that students usually stay in one classroom, and teachers rotate in for different subjects. That's not what I'm used to, but hey, the world is a different place.

I was actually set back a grade - something to do with the age range of the school system here. Technically, I'm a junior in high school, albeit a young one, but here, I'm the oldest sophomore - excuse me, first year student- in my class. I'm almost 17. Everyone else is 16, or almost 16. Dammit. I should have been ahead.

So. Two periods to lunch, and I was breezing through subjects that I've already taken in the states, and finding the time to doodle or read a few things I've picked up. And of course, Kotonoha sat a few seats over to my right. I gave her a casual glance...she was busy taking down notes, her brow furrowed in concentration. Even frowning, she looked good. Just a little bit scarier.

"That is all class, please prepare your assignment for our next meeting." With that, the teacher dismissed the class.

Everyone began doing the post-class shuffle, with some people walking around, talking, others just sitting and doing whatever. In my case, I sat back and closed my eyes. My work was done, the next class began in ten minutes, and I was wondering if I should try interacting with Katsura more...

Then a harsh voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Katsura, why weren't you at the class officer meeting?"

A timid voice replied, "But...but...Otome-san, I told you I had a school council meeting..."

"Hmph. You know our class takes top priority. Don't you care about your class responsibilities? You're a lazy girl, Katsura."

My eyes opened. To my right, a group of girls surrounded Kotonoha, and were apparently verbally bullying her. And she looked like she was just sitting there and staring at her desk. And although there were a few people still left in the classroom, they seemed oblivious to the injustice going down right in front of their faces.

For a moment, I watched, trying to understand what was going on. I didn't know Otome and her friends were capable of this - for the past two weeks, they just seemed like normal girls, not bullies. But now, here they were, attacking Kotonoha, the last person I'd expect to be bullied. She was meekly taking their abuse, while Otome's gang kept up the stream of harsh words. I knew Kotonoha was quiet and shy, but surely she should try to defend herself!...Except...she didn't...

I could figure out why later - right now, I was going to put a stop to this.

"_Leeroy Jenkins_," I muttered as I stood up and walked over to them. Then in a louder voice, "Guys. Stop picking on Katsura-san."

At that, the bullies looked at me incredulously, and Kotonoha looked up at me with a very surprised expression on her face. The bullies' leader, Otome, fixed me with a sharp glare. "This is none of your business, foreigner."

I smirked, anger beginning to fuel my resolve, and purposely walked right between Kotonoha and the four horsemen of idiocracy. "Hmm. Maybe it is none of my business. But there's four of you bullying a single girl. Terrible odds, don't you think? PLUS SHE ISN'T EVEN FIGHTING BACK. You think I'm just going to sit back and watch?"

Meanwhile, it seemed that the confrontation had gotten the attention of everyone else still in the classroom - probably my fault, I had gotten a little loud - and they were all staring.

Otome was apparently at a loss to what to say, and the rest of her group was speechless as well. Don't know what caused it, maybe it was the extra attention, or maybe it was just the angry foreigner ranting in her face. I pressed on.

"And tell me, what reason do you have to be bullying her?"

Finally, Otome found her voice, and replied indignantly, "I said that's none of your business. You shouldn't be poking your nose where it doesn't belong. What is it to you anyway? You don't know Katsura, you never even talked to her. Why should she matter to you?"

I stared at her grimly for a long moment, then replied, "Though I've been here for only two weeks, from what I've seen, Katsura-san has always been polite and gentle. She hasn't hurt anyone, and she definitely hasn't hurt you. You have no right. She doesn't deserve what you're doing to her."

I stepped close to Otome, who looked ready to explode, and said one simple phrase in a low monotone.

"Kanojo dake o nokosu."

_Leave her alone._

Otome stared back at me with a frantic glare on her face, and she was bright red - from anger or embarrassment, or both. Then she just turned and ran out of the room, with her friends awkwardly following.

I sighed raggedly, and leaned against a nearby table. _Be still my beating heart_. I looked around the room, and noticed everyone staring and whispering, naturally. Half the school would probably know about this incident within the hour. Then I turned to Kotonoha, who was staring at me with wide eyes.

"Hey, are you doing okay?"

She slowly, awkwardly nodded. "Takagashi-san...Y-Yes...thank you...for protecting me..."

"Yeah, no problem. If they come back again, you tell me, okay?"

"_Hai._" A nervous smile appeared on her face. I returned it with my own (somewhat forced) smile, and returned to my seat just as the teacher entered.

"Quiet down, class, and please get ready for Lesson 5's quiz..."

I slumped in my seat, and replayed the entire scenario in my mind. I guess the entire incident would help me out in terms of Kotonoha's opinion of me, and news of what I've done would definitely spread throughout the class and beyond. But even the victim wasn't Kotonoha, I would still have helped out. It's just the way I did things...

_...And Justice For All_.

Ha.

-xXx-

Meanwhile, Kotonoha's quiz was sitting unattended to, while she stared into space, and thought over the past ten minutes. All thought processes regarding other matters were gone from her mind, and one thing constantly stood out.

_Takagashi-san actually defended me._

It wouldn't stop Otome from coming back, Kotonoha realized. Her social situation would remain the same, and more people would be talking about her now. But the fact that someone had actually stood up for her and defended her...there were no words to describe her gratitude and happiness.

Kotonoha knew that she was obliged to approach Takagashi, and tell him how much his actions meant to her. She didn't mind, though, he deserved her thanks. Kotonoha hesitantly glanced to her left at him. Takagashi was sitting back in his seat, his eyes closed, and a slight frown on his face. A bemused smile appeared on Kotonoha's face, and she turned back to her work. She would never have guessed that out of all people, the new transfer student would be the one coming to her rescue.

She would approach Takagashi at lunch. Definitely.

* * *

><p><em>There we go...and some more stuff on the way.<em>

_-The Author_


	3. First Steps

At lunchtime, I usually sat alone in a corner table at the back of the cafeteria. This cafeteria was pretty big, and there's usually a LOT of people in it. Even so, it isn't rare to see a bunch of people eating alone.

Like me. _One Man Army..._I picked up my tray, and was about to start walking to my usual spot, when I heard a voice behind me."Um...hello, Takagashi-san..."

I whirled around. And there stood Katsura, looking nervous as hell.

"Oh...hey, Katsura-san. Do you need anything?"

"Um...well, do you want to eat with me?"

"...Yeah, sure! I'd be glad to."

I seem pretty calm, right? Nah. On the inside, I'm freaking out.

We took a seat by the cafeteria windows, which had a nice view of the surrounding area, and the window seats tended to be quieter compared to the rest of the cafeteria. I let Kotonoha take a seat first, then I set my tray down in the spot across from her. I'm surprised I didn't drop it, my heart was beating pretty fast. _Since when did I start feeling nervous around Katsura-san? Be still my beating heart be still my beating heart be still my beating heart..._

Kotonoha looked as nervous as I was, though she showed it more - she was staring at the table, and fidgeting with her hands. Since she had invited me over, I assumed that she wanted to tell me something. But, she still seemed to be summoning the courage to say it.

The awkward silence was growing, so I took the plunge. "Katsura-san, are you doing alright?"

She abruptly nodded. "Yes, I am doing fine, thank you...I...I have something to say..."

She paused, and looked up at me with a nervous - yet undoubtedly heartfelt - smile on her face. "T-Thank you so much for saving me from Otome and her friends. No one has ever stood up for me before. I am in your debt. Thank you." For a moment, I swore I saw tears in her eyes, but then she stared back down at the table.

I didn't know what to say. "Katsura-san...it's all right. You don't owe me anything...I just happened to be there at the right time. And I'm glad I was able to help you out."

Kotonoha looked back up. "Takagashi-san...what you did means a lot to me...and while I may not be able to repay my debt to you now, someday, I swear I will." She spoke quietly, but I could hear the resolve in her voice, and somehow, I knew I wouldn't be able to change her mind.

I smiled a little. "Alright then Katsura-san, I'll...take your word for it, I guess. But...er...do you know why was Otome bullying you?"

At that, Kotonoha's face fell, and she shifted around uncomfortably. "I...uh...well..." Noticing her discomfort with the subject, I mentally slapped myself for the prying question. "Sorry, Katsura-san...you don't have to answer that." "No," she softly replied. "You deserve to know." She took a deep breath. "Otome and her friends have been...bullying me," - I noticed she had to force that word out - "since first semester, when there is nobody around."

I shook my head in disgust. "The girl really has no reason to bully you. Does she just do it for fun?"

"I...well...I have a feeling why she does that...I think it's because...b-because she's jealous of me...of how the boys look at me...because of my body..." Kotonoha blushed, and looked down at the table again. I warily nodded. "Er...actually, those sound like the only reasons why she's attacking you, childish and immature though they may be..." Kotonoha's head bowed a bit further. "_Hai_," she responded softly.

I sighed, and pondered if I should ask my next question - then I decided that it was for the best. "Um...Katsura-san, I have a personal question that you may not want to answer, but I think it's important..." She looked up at me with wide eyes, then slowly nodded. "Go ahead."

"Why didn't you defend yourself from Otome?"

I was expecting Kotonoha to have an emotional reaction. To my surprise, she didn't...she just got a faraway look in her eyes, and a sort of sad smile appeared on her face. "I...don't know, Takagashi-san...it's just the way I am..."

"And...uh...what would that be?" I uneasily replied.

Still looking into space, she began to speak softly, almost in a whisper. "I'm too meek for my own good. Weak. A coward..."

"No, Katsura-san. You're not."

Katsura looked up with a surprised, almost shocked look on her face. Even I was surprised at the resolve in my voice, but I went on.

"You're not a coward. You're not weak. I don't know you that well, but you're the class president...I've seen you handle a lot of responsibility, and I know you're one of the smartest people in the class. Katsura-san, you may have your insecurities, but you're stronger than you credit yourself for, and I know you have the potential to become stronger, more confident, and more successful than anyone else in the class." I stopped, and took a deep breath. "That's what I think." With my monologue finished, I, broke eye contact with the wide-eyed Kotonoha, and stared at the table.

We sat in silence for a long moment, then I heard her say softly, "Thank you, Takagashi-san." I looked up at her, into her softly smiling face, but that wasn't what caught my attention. Because in Kotonoha's eyes, I saw her feelings, her gratitude, expressed in a way that went beyond words. And I nodded. Because I understood.

Suddenly the sound of a loudly growling stomach interrupted us. Katsura blushed. "Sorry about that..." I suddenly realized we had been keeping from lunch long enough. "Not at all, Katsura-san, let's eat..."

And so we did. Katsura enjoyed some kind of noodles, while I had some sketchy tasting, but at least palatable spaghetti. We ate in silence, and I had a feeling both of us were trying to regain our composure after our rather deep conversation. But still, silence can't go on forever, and one of us had to break it...

-xXx-

Kotonoha finished her meal in silence. After the moment she had had with Takagashi-san, things had gotten quiet. And although she was the number one student in her class, a ranking member of two major student associations, and class president, nothing in life had prepared her for a one-on-one conversation with...a boy. _What should I do? Should I say something?_ Kotonoha glanced at Milo, who was slowly poking at the half-plate of spaghetti in front of him. _I think he's as nervous as I am, _she realized. So, as she finished the last of her noodles, she decided to take the initiative.

"Takagashi-san-"

"Katsura-san-"

The "simultaneous encounter" doesn't just happen in the movies - it happens in real life.

Kotonoha gaped, then giggled embarrassedly. Milo just looked down and chuckled sheepishly, then said, "Uh, you go ahead, Katsura-san." Kotonoha nodded, and she slowly smiled. "Takagashi-san..."

"Uh...yeah?"

And in a light British accent, Kotonoha said, "_Did you know I spoke English?" _

Milo looked like he had been struck by lightning. He spluttered wordlessly for a moment, before gasping out in English, "_N...no...I never would have guessed...how...I had no idea_..." Kotonoha laughed softly. "_My father hired a tutor from Hong Kong to teach me when I was younger. It's been a few years since I've last spoken English...do I sound strange?" _

He immediately shook his head. "_No, definitely not - you sound just like a natural English speaker...it's shocking...I had no idea..."_ Kotonoha smiled, and hesitantly replied, "_Then...maybe...can I practice my English with you?"_

"_In my opinion, Katsura-san, you don't need practice, you sound like you've already mastered English. But anytime you want to practice, go right ahead."_

She brushed a few stray bangs from her face, and nodded. "_Okay, Takagashi-san. Uh...were you going to ask me something?"_

Milo stared at her blankly for a moment before remembering. "_Gah. Stupid me, I forgot. Uh..." _He paused, and decided to switch to Japanese for Kotonoha's sake. "Katsura-san, the book you were reading this morning - what was the title?"

"Er...It's called _The Host_...it's a romance novel..."

"_The Host_...Oh yeah! I read that book before, it was pretty good."

Kotonoha stared at Milo with an incredulous look on her face. "Y-You read romance novels? Stephanie Meyer?" He winced, and shrugged. "Well...I randomly picked it at the library, the cover looked cool, and I read it...and I liked it. Actually, I didn't know the author was the same person that wrote the Twilight books."

Kotonoha couldn't help herself, and began laughing - she had read the Twilight series, and she knew what people thought about it. Milo looked on in amusement, while observing that she had a unique, cute laugh - not too girlish, not too annoying, but nice to hear. _She should laugh more, _he noted. Meanwhile, Kotonoha recovered, and apologetically murmured, "Sorry, Takagashi-san...I don't usually burst out laughing like that..." Milo merely smiled. "Don't worry, Katsura-san, it's natural...I'm sure anyone would laugh if they knew I read Stephanie Meyer's novels."

She smiled awkwardly. "_Hai, _Takagashi-san...Er, I'm wondering, what other books do you read then?"

Milo shrugged. "Anything that catches my interest. War novels, thrillers, action, history, science fiction, epics...that kind of stuff. How about you?" Kotonoha smiled, and began thinking. "Romance, mostly...but I read traditional literature, contemporary works, and fantasy as well." She blushed and hesitated, before saying, "You may think I'm strange, but I also like horror novels, movies, games - anything scary."

Once again, Milo was completely surprised. "Wha...seriously?...You like those? You're much braver than I am, then..."

Kotonoha nodded, and grinned. "They're fun, I get a kind of tingly sensation when I watch the really good ones."

He laughed. "I would just run out of the room screaming. So, if I put you in a dark room, all by yourself, and made you watch _Paranormal Activity_, what would your reaction be?"

Kotonoha chuckled. "I already did that. I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night, though."

Milo was just about to respond when he noticed the time on the cafeteria's far wall. "Ah great. Class starts in three minutes." Kotonoha reluctantly nodded, and stood. "We'd better get to class then," she sighed.

They picked up their belongings, tossed the trash, and exited the cafeteria. Along the way to class, Milo spoke up. "Nakayama-san hasn't been here for the past week - do you know what happened to him?" Kotonoha thought for a second, trying to place the whereabouts of the boy that sat between herself and Milo, then remembered. "He was transferred to Tokyo, something to do with his mother's work." Milo nodded, then took a deep breath, and said as casually as possible, "Do you mind if I sat next to you then?" Kotonoha hesitated, then smiled. "Not at all."

Milo smiled in response, and opened the classroom door for her. The two entered, and sat together by the window. As class started, Kotonoha glanced one more time at the person besides her, her unexpected savior, her newfound friend, Milo Takagashi.

And for the first time in a long while, she felt genuinely happy.

-xXx-

While do I feel like someone is watching me?

I glanced around the train terminal, certain that I would catch the owner of the eyes boring into my back, but I didn't see anything. Hmm. Weird. Maybe it was...a ghost. Or a serial killer. Or ninja assassins. Or maybe it was one of Kotonoha's jealous admirers - I don't know. I turned back to the laughing girl at my side, and walked towards the station exit.

Meanwhile, Makoto Itou wordlessly turned away from the train window, and turned the music on his MP3 player to max volume.

This day had been a surprise roller coaster ride. Achievements for today: stopping a group of bullies from evil acts. Speaking with one of the cutest girls in the school. Making friends with aforementioned girl. Finding out that she spoke English, liked horror movies and literature, and that she had never played Angry Birds. Once I showed Kotonoha that game on my Ipod, I think she became instantly addicted - she played the thing for the entire train ride, and in about twenty minutes, she had gotten farther in that game than I would have in two weeks.

Kotonoha Katsura. This girl is a unique person...usually, she's quiet and shy, but when you talk to her, she begins to open up. I mean, sure, she has her insecure moments, but I think she's a great person to talk to.

Anyway, while talking with Kotonoha through notes and during breaks, I found out that she lives a few blocks - or about a five to ten minute walk - from my house. Weird, but true. We go to school on the same train - we had just been sitting in different train cars this entire time. So, I took it on myself to walk Kotonoha home from school, while we talked about the definition of what a zombie exactly was.

_Take a look around...it's a nice day, the sun is nearing the horizon, this is a quiet part of town that gives you a nice view of the city sprawled around, there's a soft breeze through the trees, and I'm talking with Kotonoha Katsura about whether someone can become a zombie through its saliva or any of its bodily fluids._

"So biologically speaking, all the characters in _Highschool of the Dead_ should have been infected a long time ago, huh?" I grinned.

"Unless the producers can explain how someone gets a zombie blood bath and gets away with it," Kotonoha laughed. Then she stopped walking right outside a large gate. "Here's my home," she said, pointing to the just visible two story house inside. It looked pretty nice.

"You have a nice house," I observed. "So, uh...I'll see you tomorrow then?" Kotonoha paused, seemingly stuck in her thoughts, then awkwardly nodded. "Er...uh...yes..." I had only spent a day with Katsura-san, but I found that I could read her body language to a degree. "Is...something wrong?" I gently asked.

She shook her head. "No...I...uh, Takagashi-san...do you want to come in?"

My eyes widened. "I...uh, sure, alright then. Will your parents mind?"

"My mother doesn't come home till very late, and my father is on a business trip. My sister will be home soon, though." Kotonoha opened the gate, then shyly smiled at me. "Welcome to the Katsura residence."

I chuckled, then stepped inside. The sight of the house greeted me - I realized it was much bigger than how it looked from outside the gate. Kotonoha had mentioned that she had a wealthy family, and it showed - the grounds were well cared for, and there were a couple of late model cars in the driveway. I followed Kotonoha inside, while continuing to marvel at her house. Once there, we emerged into the...living room, I guess, for lack of a better word, and she motioned me to sit down on the couch.

"I'm going to make us some tea and refreshments, Takagashi-san," she smiled. "Just wait for a minute."

I wordlessly nodded, still speechless with admiration at her house. I gently placed my bag to one side, and had a seat. My grandparents weren't expecting me to be back until dinnertime, but I was usually back long before then. I decided to text my brother to tell them I would be back a little later, then I pocketed my phone and looked up.

Right at a mini-Kotonoha, except with shorter hair.

She stared at me with a huge grin on her face. "Who are you? Are you Kotonoha's boyfriend?"

Ah. _This must be Kotonoha's younger sister_, I realized. "Uh, no, I'm your sister's friend. I'm Milo Takagashi, and you're Kokoro?"

However, Kokoro just broke out laughing. "You said your name backwards, like Americans do, like how they say it in English...that's what my tutor is teaching me."

I grinned. "_So that means you can speak English now?"_

Kokoro gaped at me. "_Not..that...well..."_ Then she switched back to Japanese. "You sound American!"

"That's because I come from there, Kokoro-chan-"

"Kokoro-chan! Are you done pestering Takagashi-san?" Kotonoha stood in the doorway in an apron, with an angry expression directed at her sister. However, Kokoro didn't mind that at all.

"Onee-chan! You didn't tell me you brought home a friend, especially a boy!"

Kotonoha's frown turned into an exasperated sigh. "I didn't know you were home yet, Kokoro-chan, where did you come from?"

"Uzuki-san was sick, so I couldn't stay at her house. Onee-chan, I'm hungry! Are you making anything?" And instead of waiting for Kotonoha's response, Kokoro jumped up and ran into the kitchen.

Kotonoha sighed. "Sorry about my sister, she can get kind of hyper sometimes."

I grinned. "It's all right, she reminds me of my little cousin."

A yell came from the kitchen. "Onee-chan! I need helping cooking the rice!"

Kotonoha winced. "I'd better get back, if Kokoro starts cooking, there won't be a kitchen left. Are you...okay waiting here?"

"Well, um, Katsura-san...is it okay if I stay in the kitchen?"

She hesitated, then shrugged and smiled. "I guess you can. I just hope Kokoro isn't too much of a nuisance..."

"How old is she?" I got up, and followed her into the kitchen. It was big one too (as expected), with two (TWO!) refrigerators, two stoves, and a sort of cooking center in the middle. Kokoro was sitting at a counter off to the side.

"She's 11, but she looks younger, don't you, Kokoro-chan?"

"What about me?" Kokoro said. "Oh yeah, I'm 11. Everyone says I don't act my age. Takagashi-san, you said you're American, right?"

I smiled, and sat down next to her. "That's right, Kokoro-chan. I moved here with my brother, and we're staying with my grandparents, and my house is a five minute walk away from here." I could tell that Kotonoha was listening, as she finished preparing the tea and snacks. I hadn't told her about this yet.

"But then where are your parents?" Kokoro asked, as she plucked at a tangerine.

"Well, they're actually in Manila, in the Philippines, taking care of paperwork. Do you know where that is?"

"Somewhere south, I think." Kokoro finally got the tangerine peeled, and happily began munching on it.

"Will your parents join you here, Takagashi-san?" Kotonoha placed the tray of tea, crackers, and fruit in front of us, and sat down next to me.

I shrugged, and handed some crackers to Kokoro. "I actually don't know, Katsura-san. They'll be...busy, for a while, but I'll know when I'll be seeing them again."

Kotonoha quietly nodded, and poured herself a cup of tea. There was something in her eyes, something...sad, like she knew how I felt...but I couldn't be sure.

But right then, Kokoro interrupted once again. "Onee-chan, why do you and Takagashi-san call each other by your last names? Aren't you friends?"

Awkward moment. I uneasily laughed, while Kotonoha blushed, and looked down. "Well Kokoro-chan, we...became friends today, and while I...want to call Katsura-san by her given name, I..." I looked at Kotonoha. "I don't know how you feel about it."

Kotonoha slowly looked up. "I...I..." She cleared her throat. "I'm okay with it...er...Milo...kun..."

I nodded. "Okay, Kotonoha-chan..." We nervously smiled at each other.

"We also call her Koto-chan, so maybe you can call her that too!" Kokoro said eagerly.

Kotonoha sighed in exasperation. "Kokoro-chan, the rice is almost ready, and the hot dogs are warm on the stove."

"Yay!" Kokoro squealed, and jumped off the stool to go claim her food.

"I haven't seen her this hyper in a long time, sorry about that, er...Milo-kun..." Kotonoha mumbled. I chuckled. "Yeah, I think it's because of me. Are you sure you're comfortable with the given names thing...Kotonoha-chan?"

Kotonoha hesitated, then looked over at my shoulder - to the counter across the room where Kokoro was happily munching on a hot dog while staring intently at us. When Kotonoha spoke again, it was in English. _"Kokoro's English isn't as good as mine, so this might help." _I grinned over my shoulder at Kokoro, who pouted, and returned to her food. _"But it's fine, Milo-kun...I'll get used to it. You...are my friend, after all..." _I smiled. "_And you're mine as well. Uh...I'll tell you something I don't tell many people."_

_"Oh? What's that?"_

_"I actually hate my name. It sounds like something from fifty years ago."_

Kotonoha actually paled. "_Then...I shouldn't have..."_

I was quick to reassure her. "_No, it's fine, I don't mean it too literally, just that I don't like it. My dad named me...after the Milo drink, if you know what it is. When I was born, he was holding a cup of it in his hand, right? And he just decided, on an impulse, to name me that. It reminds me of...that movie, with a cat and a pug, and the adventures they have?"_

Kotonoha slowly smiled in realization. "_You mean Milo and Otis!"_

_"Yep, that. At least my name isn't Otis, I could never live with that."_

Kotonoha laughed. _"Oh, that's true. But you're not alone, I have a strange name too, and it certainly isn't common."_

A forlorn voice spoke up behind me. "I don't know what you guys are talking about, and it's driving me crazy!"

Kotonoha and I turned to grin at the miniature bundle of fury behind me. "Then that means you should learn your English, Kokoro," Kotonoha laughed. "You'd better put your plate in the dishwasher and do your homework so you can catch your show."

At that, Kokoro jumped up and busied herself with the dishwasher, which left Kotonoha and I to clean up the leftovers of our snacks, and talk.

And talk we did...for the rest of the evening, we hung out in the living room place, talking about our families, movies, books, homework. Kokoro emerged from time to time, but her energy seemed to be spent, and she had her shows to watch. So, Kotonoha and I continued hanging out with each other, and we even did some homework, but all too soon, I realized it was dark outside, and that my grandparents were probably wondering why I was taking so long.

"Kotonoha-chan, looks like I need to go home now." She nodded, and walked me to the door, and even to the gate. Once there, she turned to me.

"I-I...had a nice day, Milo-kun," Kotonoha quietly said. "And I want to thank you, for being my friend."

I smiled. "No, Kotonoha-chan...thank you."

She looked deep into my eyes, smiled, and nodded. "S-See you tomorrow, then?"

"Yep. Till tomorrow..."

Finally, we said our goodbyes, and parted, and I headed for home with a huge smile on my face...and that smile was still on my face as I got into my bed that night.

And I knew, somehow, that in her own bed, Kotonoha was smiling too.

* * *

><p><em>I'm back. And what do you think? Changes are good? Bad? Review, hold nothing back.<em>

_-AoL_


	4. HEAR YE HEAR YE

No, I haven't abandoned this story, though it may look like it.

Blame it on life, school, writer's block, and a CRAPLOAD of procrastination. Anyway..

If you guys haven't noticed, I've started on revamping this story somewhat, cause the thing i posted now almost two months ago was going in a direction I hadn't planned it to. And the reposted chapters haven't "refreshed" the story to top page, so this is just my cheap way of giving everyone a heads up.

In other words, go back. Reread. Is different. Is very (..kinda? somewhat?) different.

Oh, and enjoy the deadpool chapter while it's still here, I plan on taking it out, cause it won't fit with the overall feel of the story. I may post it at the end, extend it a bit, like...bonus material, or something.

New chapters coming soon.


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